To Require Each Public School To Participate In The Arkansas Prevention Needs Assessment Survey.
Summary
HB1755 would require every public school in Arkansas to administer the Arkansas Prevention Needs Assessment Survey beginning in the 2025-2026 school year and continuing annually thereafter. The survey is described as a tool for helping schools, districts, and communities address student issues related to alcohol, tobacco, drug use, mental health, academic failure, and violence. The bill assigns the Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health within the Department of Human Services responsibility for maintaining the survey and providing technical assistance to schools on administration, reporting, and the development of prevention and intervention strategies based on survey results.
The bill also requires school districts to notify parents and legal guardians in writing before the survey is given and to inform them that they may opt their child out by written notice. In addition, the Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health must provide the previous year’s survey results to legislative leaders and the relevant education and public health committee chairs before each annual administration. The mandate is conditioned on the availability of federal funding, and if federal funding is insufficient, the survey would not be required. The bill authorizes the Office and the State Board of Education to adopt rules to implement the new section of law.
Impact
HB1755 would add a new section to Arkansas Code Title 6 requiring statewide participation in a student prevention and mental health survey by all public schools. It would create a statutory duty for schools to administer the survey, for DHS’s Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health to manage and support it, and for school districts to provide parental notice and opt-out procedures. The bill would also establish a reporting channel to legislative leaders and committee chairs and make the requirement contingent on federal funding, limiting the mandate if funding is unavailable.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the overall sentiment appears procedural and supportive of using survey data to inform student health and prevention efforts. The bill is framed as a public health and school safety measure rather than a controversial policy change, and it includes parental notice, opt-out rights, and a funding contingency that may have been intended to reduce concerns about implementation and cost. No recorded opposition or amendment activity is provided in the available context.
Contention
The main potential points of contention are parental consent and student privacy, since the bill requires schools to administer a survey about sensitive topics such as substance use and mental health, though it does allow parents and guardians to opt their child out in writing. Another likely issue is the administrative burden on schools and districts, including notification, reporting, and implementation of prevention strategies. Funding is also a key concern because the mandate only applies if federal funding is available; if funding is insufficient, the survey is not required, suggesting cost and sustainability could be debated. No specific opposing or supporting speakers are identified in the provided context.